DALLAS — It’s common practice for NHL teams to bring provisions to games. This is completely separate from the pregame or postgame meal.
Maybe it’s few loaves of bread. Maybe it’s some packets of mixed nuts. Maybe it’s an allotment of protein bars.
The remnants of what exactly fueled Wild to their double-overtime victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Monday night were scattered about the locker room in the immediate aftermath. Not even 15 minutes had passed since center Ryan Hartman lifted the Wild to a 3-2 win and some uneaten peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches were still sitting out.
The trainers for the Wild prepared the literal midnight snack in between the extra sessions. They also offered some bananas at intermission to provide an energy boost if a player felt the need for it. At that point, the Wild had already logged 80 minutes of ice time, and there was no telling how much longer the game was going to go.
“The trainers were awesome,” defenseman Brock Faber said. “They got all that stuff out and kept the body fueled.”
Asked about the environment inside locker room at intermission, Hartman listed some of the food and drink options, then joked, “Maybe even like a 12:30 a.m. Red Bull.”
As much as the Wild looked dead at various points after regulation ended, they had just enough in the tank to withstand a push from the Stars. Maybe something as simple as a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich helped. Maybe it had no bearing on the game whatsoever.
Regardless, coach Dean Evason praised the support staff for keeping the players ready for battle.
“Our trainers are on it,” Evason said. “Just trying to get them the nutrition and hydration in those situations to keep them going to play at the high level.”
How will the Wild respond to the marathon that spanned 92 minutes, 20 seconds, and went down as the longest game in franchise history?
“It’s the same for both teams,” defenseman Matt Dumba said. “We’re going to take care of ourselves, get what we need, then make sure we get a good rest.”
Eriksson Ek gets day off
While the Wild left most of the team back at the hotel on Tuesday afternoon, a handful of players did take the ice at American Airlines Center. On the surface, it seemed somewhat surprising that center Joel Eriksson Ek wasn’t a part of that group.
Naturally, it turned out to be a mandated day off for Eriksson Ek. He has been skating the past few days despite suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 that was supposed to keep him out for an extended period.
“He’s come out of it really well,” Evason said. “We’re just going to evaluate every day and see where he’s at.”
After missing Game 1, it’s unclear if Eriksson Ek will be available for Game 2.
“He’s been pushing really hard,” Evason said. “He’ll take morning skate tomorrow and we’ll see.”
Klingberg takes the ice
It seems like defenseman John Klingberg could be an option moving forward.
He suffered a lower-body injury in the lead-up to Game 1 and had to sit out. It remains to be seen if he is ready for for Game 2.
If the doctors clear him to play, Klingberg will likely play on the blue line alongside Faber, who has been outstanding since signing with the Wild last week.
